World Taekwondo President Opens Taekwondo Academy in Azraq Refugee Camp
In the Azraq refugee camp, located 80 kilometers from Amman, Jordan, Syrian refugee girls dressed in taekwondo uniforms eagerly gathered to take photos with World Taekwondo (WT) President Cho Jung-won. The camp, home to 40,000 refugees displaced by the Syrian civil war, was filled with excitement as children shouted, "Uncle Jo! Gray Jo! Master Jo!" upon his arrival amidst a sandstorm on May 1.
President Cho, along with officials from international sports organizations, greeted the children, shaking hands and offering encouragement. For many of these children, Cho is seen as a 'guardian angel of hope,' as the only time they can leave the confines of the camp is during the annual 'Taekwondo Day' sports event held from May 1 to 3, when the UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees) allows special outings.
The Azraq camp was established in 2014 following a massive influx of refugees due to the Syrian civil war that began in 2011. WT opened a taekwondo academy there in 2016, inspired by a poignant photograph of three-year-old Aylan Kurdi, who drowned while fleeing to safety in 2015. Cho stated, "Seeing that image shocked me, and I pondered how to alleviate the suffering of the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees."
To facilitate charitable efforts through taekwondo, Cho established the Taekwondo Human Foundation (THF). He recalled a significant event on the UN's International Day of Peace (September 21), where the WT demonstration team performed for the UN, connecting with peacekeeping forces in Lebanon via video link, which garnered a positive response.
Cho noted that the Azraq camp was plagued by violence and illegal activities, but through taekwondo, education and order were maintained, helping to connect the youth to the outside world. Currently, 350 individuals aged 4 to 22 train at the academy, which has become a beacon of hope within the camp. Since 2022, WT has organized taekwondo competitions there, expanding the event into the 'Hope and Dreams Sports Festival' by persuading leaders of major sports organizations within the IOC. This year's fourth edition featured six sports, including taekwondo, 3x3 basketball, Baseball5, badminton, handball, and weightlifting demonstrations.
The event saw participation from around 1,300 individuals, including athletes, officials, and international referees, primarily from the Azraq and Zaatari camps, which houses 80,000 Syrian refugees. Cho emphasized that the door opened by taekwondo for these refugee youth is not a barrier to the world but a gateway to hope, transforming anxiety into optimism.
